DreamWorks
For the bulk of every Rocky and Bullwinkle episode, moose and squirrel would engage in high concept escapades that satirized geopolitics, contemporary cinema, and the very fabrics of the human condition. With all of that to work with, there's no excuse for why the pair and their Soviet nemeses haven't gotten a decent movie adaptation. But the ingenious Mr. Peabody and his faithful boy Sherman are another story, intercut between Rocky and Bullwinkle segments to teach kids brief history lessons and toss in a nearly lethal dose of puns. Their stories and relationship were much simpler, which means that bringing their shtick to the big screen would entail a lot more invention — always risky when you're dealing with precious material.
For the most part, Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman handles the regeneration of its heroes aptly, allowing for emotionally substance in their unique father-son relationship and all the difficulties inherent therein. The story is no subtle metaphor for the difficulties surrounding gay adoption, with society decreeing that a dog, no matter how hyper-intelligent, cannot be a suitable father. The central plot has Peabody hosting a party for a disapproving child services agent and the parents of a young girl with whom 7-year-old Sherman had a schoolyard spat, all in order to prove himself a suitable dad. Of course, the WABAC comes into play when the tots take it for a spin, forcing Peabody to rush to their rescue.
Getting down to personals, we also see the left brain-heavy Peabody struggle with being father Sherman deserves. The bulk of the emotional marks are hit as we learn just how much Peabody cares for Sherman, and just how hard it has been to accept that his only family is growing up and changing.
DreamWorks
But more successful than the new is the film's handling of the old — the material that Peabody and Sherman purists will adore. They travel back in time via the WABAC Machine to Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and the Trojan War, and 18th Century France, explaining the cultural backdrop and historical significance of the settings and characters they happen upon, all with that irreverent (but no longer racist) flare that the old cartoons enjoyed. And oh... the puns.
Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman is a f**king treasure trove of some of the most amazingly bad puns in recent cinema. This effort alone will leave you in awe.
The film does unravel in its final act, bringing the science-fiction of time travel a little too close to the forefront and dropping the ball on a good deal of its emotional groundwork. What seemed to be substantial building blocks do not pay off in the way we might, as scholars of animated family cinema, have anticipated, leaving the movie with an unfinished feeling.
But all in all, it's a bright, compassionate, reasonably educational, and occasionally funny if not altogether worthy tribute to an old favorite. And since we don't have our own WABAC machine to return to a time of regularly scheduled Peabody and Sherman cartoons, this will do okay for now.
If nothing else, it's worth your time for the puns.
3/5
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Universal via Everett Collection
Valentine’s Day can be grating when you’re single. Restaurants jack up prices, people fail to pull off the color red, and everyone is fixated on love. It’s time to reclaim February 14 and celebrate Single’s Awareness Day. The fact that it bears the acronym S.A.D. is purely coincidental. If you’re looking for a day free from romance, Valentine, and reminders of your partner-less existence, why not get cozy with these movies? They have been selected for their distinct level of awesome and lack of amour.
The Avengers It may be more than a year before The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron hits theaters. Why not re-watch this epic superhero film, or catch it for the first time? There aren’t any cheesy romantic subplots. There are a couple fleeting moments of people in relationship,s but the action, snark, and dead Chitauri make up for it. It helps that the cast is chock full of lookers, including Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, who also deliver in butt-kicking action.
Hansel &amp; Gretel: Witch HuntersThis is the movie you might never have an occasion to watch but you won’t want to miss. Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton play a fresh take on the storybook brother and sister. Slightly anachronistic and chock full of witch wounding weaponry, this movie is a future cult movie that blends horror, action, and the right level of cheese. The other bright side: there’s no love story. Just some heartwarming sibling companionship.
This Is the EndIf you’ve been told you wouldn’t be considered as a mate even if you were the last person on Earth, this is the movie for you. This apocalyptic comedy finds James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, and their friends trying to navigate the post-Rapture Hell on Earth. This comedy features bizarre cameos by almost everyone in Hollywood (mostly really just Judd Apatow’s Rolodex, though), and offers nothing close to romance except the special relationship between a man and his co-dependent friends.
Identity ThiefLaugh the pain away with this hilarious buddy comedy. Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy have bizarre chemistry and best of all it’s in no way relationship-based. This was one of the most popular movies of 2013. If you haven’t seen it you may want to look into real estate that isn’t under a rock. Why eat an entire chocolate cake while crying when you can binge on the laughter of McCarthy, the soon-to-be-crowned Queen of Comedy?
ClueThis cult classic deserves an annual watching, so why not make it Single’s Awareness Day? This film adaptation of the popular board game came ages before Hollywood decided to make a movie out of everything (lest we forget Battleship). This comedy is full of murder, mystery, and Tim Curry. It’s highly quotable and deviously hilarious.
The Cabin in the WoodsA horror movie on V-Day might be a little cliché. This revisionist take on the genre is hard to pass up. It’s also a little hard to classify since so much changes. Why not opt for something to engage your adrenaline and your mind. Plus, it’s from the genius mind of Joss Whedon. What more could you ask for?
PathologyIf sex and violence are you bag, enjoy this dark thriller about a bunch of forensic students that get addicted to performing the perfect murder. It stars the sexy Milo Ventimiglia, Alyssa Milano, and Lauren Lee Smith. It's super angsty and emo, so feel free to let out your inner-Goth kid and enjoy this twisted psychological drama.
Kill Bill - Vol. 1 &amp; 2If you’re feeling super resentful, annoyed, or just plain pissed off, why not watch both of these classic Quentin Tarantino films? Uma Thurman gets tons of vengeance so let her dispose of your ex…in your head at least. Plus, there’s nothing more relaxing than the dulcet tones of a Hatori Hanzo setting a score. The entire movie is set on killing the worst possible ex so why not get it out of your system.
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Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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Director Luca Guadagnino is preparing to dip his toes into something a little different. The acclaimed Italian filmmaker, whose last feature film I Am Love starred Tilda Swinton, has just launched the first segment of Walking Stories, an eight-part web series starring Kaya Scodelario, Lauren Hutton, and Tom Ellis.
The first part in the ongoing series features the chance encounter of two long lost college friends who have obviously led very different lives after leaving school. Sarah looks like a Bohemian free spirit with a penchant for drawing on her body parts while her friend seems more focused on the upscale living and material things. The first episode ends on a cliffhanger after Sarah's friend asks her how exactly she ended up in Florence in the first place. Judging from the trailer and the first part of the series, Walking Stories seems like a light and funny romantic comedy with a European flair.
Watch the trailer and the first episode below:
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Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Lawrence has found her newest newest cinematic adventure. The critically acclaimed actress will star in the upcoming drama The Rules of Inheritance.
According to Deadline, The Rules of Inheritance is based on Claire Bidwell Smith’s memoir about a young woman who loses her parents to cancer, but then finds herself in the process. The full description reads, "While struggling to cope, she propels herself into many romances, adventures and travels in an inspirational, emotionally charged and surprisingly humorous journey that celebrates life, the people we love and lose and the discoveries we make along the way."
Directing the film is Susanne Bier who just helmed Serena with Lawrence and her Silver Linings Playbook co-star Bradley Cooper. The Hunger Games star is also set to produce the film alongside Silver Linings Playbook’s Bruce Cohen while FilmNation Entertainment will executive produce.
FilmNation’s Glen Basner and Aaron Ryder said, “We are thrilled to be working with the dream team of Jennifer Lawrence, Susanne Bier, Abi Morgan and Bruce Cohen. We have no doubt that this inspirational and hopeful book will be turned into an emotionally powerful movie that audiences around the world will fall in love with.”
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I see now. This is why the American Idol guys' audition round was so boring. The drama was waiting on the girls' side.
Sure, a few of the guys got steamed here and there, and then there was Matheaus Fernandes's onstage meltdown, but for the most part, the dudes were rather tame. I'm probably a terrible person for saying this, but it's just more fun when the crying, fighting, self-righteous ladies do their thing during Hollywood week. And this season, apparently the judges sent through more women than men during the national auditions, so the competition is tight and making these girls lose all the oxygen in their brains. It's getting nutty.
First up are the rapid-fire auditions, and we lose a few familiar faces. We lose wacky girl Ashley Smith from Charlotte, who surprised everyone when her fake blonde wig and faux hipster glasses hid a girl with a real voice. Also gone are nominated singer Anne Defani from Nebraska and Sarah Restuccio, who wowed Nicki in New York by rapping "Super Bass" almost as well as those two fairy princesses on Ellen.
Finally, we get to Mariah Pulice whose story of overcoming anorexia by getting into music moved the judges during her audition is sent home after her version of "Gravity" fails to impress the judges. Of course, this is after she's caught on tape saying that the competition means everything to her because it's helping her stay on the right path. It's cruel editing that makes us feel guilty for agreeing with the judges that the girl wasn't strong enough for the competition. Still, it's a blessing the girl is sent home now instead of at the top 24 cut-off.
RELATED: 'American Idol' Recap: Solo Night, Or Nicki's Jar of Hearts
As a parade of girls is ushered through to the next round, including mini-Alison Williams Angela Miller, San Antonio's mariachi singer Victoria Acosta, Rachel "Always (seriously, all the time, always) Smiling" Hale from Long Beach, and perfectly sweet country girl Janelle Arthur all make it through, but then come some hard distinctions that are still a bit confounding. When Candice Glover, who's returning a second time, sings her solo, she bbrings the house down, and perhaps it is that juxtapostion, but it completely ecclipses anything Megan Miller, a.k.a. the girl who auditioned on crutches, and her strong, yet bland voice. Both go through, but only one feels like someone I'd buy a record from (duh, Candice).
Isabelle, the girl with only one name, wows the judges again, as does Briana Oakley, the young woman whose classmates bullied her after she sang beautifully on The Maury Show (the the joke's on them because they were home in the middle of the day watching The Maury Show).
Finally, we have Kez Ban, the androgynous woman from Chicago who's bluesy, grassy style won over the judges. This time, she's gotten a little high and mighty. She actually tells Ryan Seacrest, as if he's the valet of American Idol, to find her some space to practice alone for 30 seconds because she's blown out her voice cheering for her friends. Oh, and also she's really sick. Cough, cough. Kez's voice greatly suffers but the judges seem to be keen on keeping her for now because they let it slide and she stays on to create a good 33 percent of the Hollywood Week drama.
RELATED: 'American Idol' Recap: The Guys Are Just Alright
Group round is upon us and, once again, the producers have chosen the groups for maxium drama potential. To separate the trainwrecks from the choirs of singing angels, come the judges (minus Randy, who never misses a thing on Idol but is apparently getting too old for this s**t) in a fleet of shiny new Ford cars whose names are definitely not glistening on the screen unnecessarily when all we're hoping to do is see Mariah lean back like a figure on a Grecian urn and tell us, "Darling, we're finding stars today." She does that too, but it takes us way too long, and too many car shots, to get there.
Luckily, Ford didn't make any of the contestants drive around in these promo autos when they should have been practicing, so we're able to get right into the groups, their drama, and of course, their performances. The Swaggettes have truly got the swagger because they all went to bed on time. They didn't fight over harmonies or choreography, and they walk in looking refreshed and cheerful. Are we sure this is Hollywood week and not the uplifting part of a movie about a plucky young girl group, with its weird hipster-nerd chick thrown in for the "cool" factor? It's not. While Glover is the clear standout of the group, her cohorts Kamiria Ousley, Melinda Ademi, and Denise Jackson the steampunk princess nailed "Hit 'Em Up Style," also known as the song every group wants to sing but usually can't. But hey, you'd be amazed what you can accomplish when you've got serious swag. They all stay on for the next round.
Page 2: The ladies turn on each other in an instant...
We jump straight out of R&amp;B into real country with Rasin' Kane, comprised of Morgan Leigh Boberg, Lauren Mink, Brandy Hotard, and another girl whose name we don't learn because apparently she doesn't make it very far. Decked all in cowboy boots, these girls are country to the very core, to the point I almost felt I was trapped in unknown territory because my realtionship with country music lives and dies with Taylor Swift. Apparently, I'm not the only one because Mariah's tepid smile betrays just how much she hates this honky tonk stuff. Still she knows talent when it sings to her, so all the girls stay on.
RELATED: 'American Idol' Recap: Yeah, Dude Looks Like a Lady
But what is Hollywood week without a string of girls forgetting their words? This year, girls clearly knew the danger of group night because writing lyrics on their hands and arms became practically commonplace during the auditions, sending Nicki over the edge. But first one group probably should have invested in some sort of assistance because without the words, they fell apart completely. Savannah Votion (the mom with the belly shirt from San Antonio), Liz Weiss, Daysia Hall, and J'Leigh Chauvin take on "Somebody That I Used to Know," as many groups chose to do throughout the night, but the performances isn't even as melodic as a slinki hopping downstairs. Yes, a slinky is more pleasant listening material. Actually. In the end, Daysia is the only one who manages to sing when she forgets her lyrics, and she's safe. Naturally, her group members turn on her and the claws come out, but mainly from Savannah, who's claiming that because she chose the harmonies and because they "helped Daysia sing" onstage (which, as far as I know was not a thing that could actually be done, you either sing or you don't) that they deserve to stay instead. Let's be honest though, we're not looking for sportsmanship during Hollywood week. Got a blame shift? Or a catty comeback? This is where it belongs.
And at least one group knew what they were in for when they named themselves: The Dramatics. Cristabel Clack, Kriss Mincey, and Jane; Stiney are pushed together, and at first it seems perfect and easy. The girls get along, the harmonies make sense. But then Janel is concerned that they need to stay up all night because she hears the other good voices ("I hear them!I hear them!) and they need to be perfect. Her group gets some shuteye, but the next morning nothing has changed. She still wants to rehearse solo, until the moment of truth. Even in the group interview, Janel answers the group question by talking about herself. They keep trying to rehearse togehter and she keeps running away to work on her own. Come show time, the girls aren't too bad, minus Janel, who apparently didn't learn the words so well on her own. When Nicki asks what happened, Janel spews some story about not fitting in and lets out an avalanche of tears to boot. It's something Nicki quickly buys (even if I'm not) and she combats Keith's stalwart refusal to budge on the forgotten lyrics. Evenntually, and not by unanimous vote, the entire group is chosen to stay.
And again, Idol takes a step to convince us that it's not picking superstars based on looks, their opinion of puppies, and whether or not they think the sun is great or super swell. It's all about the voice. We meet Urban Hue, a group made up of Camp Mariah alum Tenna Torres, Kiara Lanier, and Seretha Gunn, whose daughter forged an eternal best friendship with Nicki during the Charlotte auditions. Unfortunately, the performance was awful. Seretha is all over place, and no where she should be. Kiara is forgettable and Torres seems off, even if the strength is clearly still present. But as Nicki said at the last minute, they've got to pick up their game... or they're out. Unfortunately for Seretha that chance passed a long time ago, and her shot at the top spots was is dashed as she is the only group member sent home.
RELATED: 'American Idol' Recap: The Panel is Haunted By Civility
In case anyone forgot Zoannette Johnson, who auditioned with the "Star Spangled Banner" and a whole lot of stumbling, she's thrown into a cute country girl group called the The Pu-snaps? Poo-snaps? Pouschnapps? I'm not sure what theire name means or where it comes from, and I'm not sure I want to. When the process begins, Zoanette is constantly pouting, worried that these country girls will leave her behind. She sits before the vocal coaches pouting, later claiming she's just "over-passionate." When it comes time for the performances, Zoanette, and her group mates Erin Christine, Lauren Bettes, and (just) Isabelle sing their versus prettily, and I'll admit, I really don't get the Zoanette thing or why she's still here. She still sounds like broken down Fantasia and yet the only person going home this round is sweet, little (boring) Lauren. Perhaps the next episode will relveal Zoanette's special power, but until then, I'm going to remain with my brow throroughly furrowed.
As the night winds down, the groups start to get a bit cattier. One group with their knife-like little claws right out and ready to play is that of Liz Bills. She's with Shira Gavrielov, Alisha Dixon, and Courtney Calle who sings songs like she's a cheerleader for Raffi, acting out every gesture of the song as if our tiny little brains depended on it. This group hates Liz Bill. They hate her so much, they go into their group interview without her, they speak ill of her right up until she walks in, and they've somehow concocted the idea that they're above her. Of course, Liz gets to exact her revenge when the three girls wretched vocals get them sent home while Liz's barefoot hippie antics bring her a little bit closer to that top 24. Sometimes justice is swift like that.
But Shira isn't willing to take this decision for face value. She somehow brings herself back onstage to beg for another chance, only instead of begging, it appears that Shira is guilting the judges for missing out on a good thing. Not only is this just about the worst look possible, the girl came in with a sense of entitlement. She has no concept of the fact that she could be cut from the competition if you're not a right fit. And thank goodness we got rid of her now. The last thing we need is another person on television, trying to make us feel guilty for their failure to succeed.
And Shira wasn't the only one convinced that she didn't deserve her fate. Contestant Stephanie Schmiel convinces her group to switch songs the morning of the performance and then promptly missed the intro of the song, again "Somebody That I Used to Know." But it's clear the girls made a poor choice: Stephanie missteps, Alex Delaney screws up the lyrics so badly her dad grimmaces, and Kalli Therinae and Holly Miller are fairly solid, Holly with just a little more strength. Randy makes it very clear he does not want Stephanie to stay, calling her out for going off key, but the judges vote and Stephanie and Holly are allowed to stay, much to Stephanie's surprise, who thought "botched that one."
Before the grand finish with Kez Ban, we stop off in Barbie-ville, where Britnee Kellogg, Kree Harrison, Brandy Neely, and Haley Davis. As the one who's done the show before, Britnee takes the lead, a job she instantly resents. (Then why are you doing everything? Why don't you just stop doing things? When the Dolly Chicks finally get to the performance, only one of them has slep, Haley, who left practice early for a totally nonexistent "stromach virus." When she does hit the stage, she can't remember the words and what's worse is she's caught on national television wearing Uggs and short skirt like it's an acceptable fashion statement. Surprisingly, it's actually sweet little Brandy who's sent home while the girl who can't play by the rules or stick with her team goes on. That's Hollywood, for ya.
Finally, we get to Kez Ban and the Misfits. After arguing over "poppy floofy" songs and picking something that Kez will finally agree means something to her, they start rehearsing, but all is messed the up royally before too long. First Kez demands arrangement change constantly so that the song suits her voice, then she bails on practice to get dinner right in the middle of a vocal coach session. Finally, she doesn't show up for breakfast, misses the bus to auditions, and shows up alone, just in the nick of time. Basically, she's already living the rock star life. And it works, for her. The group sings "Somebody That I Used to Know" and Breanna Steer, Angela Miller, Janelle Arthur, and Kez somehow make the combination of discipline and chaos work. The judges love it and the whole group goes through.
But as fun as the nonsense of the Hollywood groups can be, tomorrow it's time for judgment. The girls will be singing solos, without the cushion of group members and dance moves, and only then will we be able to tell who's worth watching. Well... worth watching in a serious way, clearly we've got no shortage of reality TV gold in this set of Season 12 contestants.
Follow Kelsea on Twitter @KelseaStahler
[Photo Credit: Michael Becker/Fox (2)]
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Happy Thanksgiving! Today is the day that we awkwardly gather round the table before stuffing our faces and give thanks to the things that matter most in our lives: family, friends, and good health.
Well that's nice and all, but here at Hollywood.com we've compiled a list of things that we are truly thankful for. Things like Louie, Magic Mike, and Amy Poehler(We're proud to say that she's mentioned three different times). Check out our list and then share which pop-culture phenomenons you're most thankful for in 2012!
Kate Ward: I'm thankful to Louie for not only giving me quotable soundbites ("I… am… BORED!"), but also for helping me remember no matter how bad it gets, at least I don't have to help clean fecal matter off a raw meat-eating boy.
Leanne Aguilera: I’m thankful for the fact that Magic Mike was a legitimately good movie and that everyone has finally realized that “Call Me Maybe” is a truly obnoxious song. I’m thankful that Happy Endings is consistently amahzing (Wheee! What up skanks?!) and that I can blame my love for Glee on my job—when in reality it's one of the highlights of my week. I’m also thankful for Matt Bomer. Even though he doesn’t play on my team, it’s lovely to know that there are real life Disney princes walking among us.
Anna Brand: I am thankful for the release of Dawson's Creek instant streaming on Netflix, the "Shahs of Sunset", and these Gotye lip-syncing kids.
Alicia Lutes: I'm thankful for unending Lohan drama and the end of the 2012 election so that my blood pressure can return to normal. I'm thankful for drunk celebrities on Watch What Happens Live, and Twitter wars. I'm thankful for the friendship of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and their shows 30 Rock and Parks and Rec being so great. I'm thankful for Solange Knowles' general flyness, and that people have finally stopped playing that Gotye song. I'm thankful for Maggie Smith always, but especially for her in the 3rd season (sorry, series) of Downton Abbey. I'm also glad that our president supported gay marriage because being hateful is so 2011. I'm also glad that Shame came out on DVD for, yes, the very obvious reasons.
Abbey Stone: I am thankful for a Matthew and Mary union (enough sexual tension is enough, Mr. Fellowes) and the Dowager Countess, like, in general. I am also thankful for Hillary Clinton's texting skillz and "Call Me Maybe" (because duh).
Michael Arbeiter: I am most thankful for the language perpetrated by the future island society in Cloud Atlas. From now on, I can happily proclaim my affirmation for an idea with not merely a “true,” but a “true-true.”
Matt Patches: I am thankful that Channing Tatum has finally convinced people that he's more than just a good-looking meathead. He's a good-looking meathead with acting chops and sensibilities that help good movies get made.
Sydney Bucksbaum: I am thankful that Hart of Dixie didn’t take the expected and easy way out of the big Season 1 cliffhanger: after Zoe and Wade finally admitted they had feelings for each other and hooked up, George called off his wedding to tell Zoe he loved her… while Wade was still in her bed! We all thought this CW charmer would just have Zoe dump Wade to jump George for Season 2, but then they surprised us by having Zoe turn George down and give Wade his much-deserved chance. This fall has been all about “Zade,” and I’m glad the love triangle has been rendered almost extinct… at least, for now. Giving Zoe and Wade’s relationship some time to grow has breathed new life into this show.
Keslea Stahler: Ryan Gosling doing anything ever, the way Schmidt on New Girl says Chutney (“Chutt-en-ee”), the fact that 30 Rock is going out with a good final season, DVR for allowing me to be a TV-nut without being a total shut-in.
Aly Semigran: I'm thankful for the 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' soundtrack for ensuring I had plenty of goosebumps in 2012, I'm thankful for Michael Fassbender and Ryan Gosling's budding bromance on the set of the new Terrence Malick movie (more goosebumps), and I'm thankful for Leslie Knope (the continually amazing Amy Poehler) proving, at long last, smart, successful women in love can have it all.
Michelle Lee: I'm thankful for Claire Danes' award-winning ugly crying, extremely entertaining political scandals, Amy Poehler's adorable ginger baby and that 50 Shades of Grey isn't mentioned 100 times a day anymore.
Brian Moylan: I am thankful that Laurie died on The Walking Dead. Also, for Kim Richards.
Shaunna Murphy: I'm thankful for Daryl Dixon holding babies, and that scene of Chloe Sevigny scaring the school children on American Horror Story. I'm also thankful because Cabin in the Woods finally came out, as well as Anderson Cooper.
Lindsey DiMattina: I am thankful that a judge took away Amanda Bynes' drivers license because a few speeding tickets/hit-and-runs could have been a lot worse if she had been allowed to continue to drive.
Christian Blauvelt: I’m grateful that TV finally proved my theory that acting ability is directly proportional to baldness. See: every male actor on Breaking Bad, Andre Braugher on Last Resort, and Jim Rash on Community (and on the Oscars, when he mimicked Angelina’s leg poses). Hairlessness is akin to godliness, it seems, with the obvious exception of Terry O’Quinn on 666 Park Avenue. Also, I’m thankful that James Bond got his sense of humor back, even though I’m convinced that Daniel Craig will look like Jonathan Banks in 15 years.
What in the world of pop culture are you thankful for? Shout 'em out in the comments below!
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[Photo Credit: FX]
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Robert Zemeckis is a blockbuster director at heart. Action has never been an issue for the man behind Back to the Future. When he puts aside the high concept adventures for emotional human stories — think Forrest Gump or Cast Away — he still goes big. His latest Flight continues the trend revolving the story of one man's fight with alcoholism around a terrifying plane crash. Zemeckis expertly crafts his roaring centerpiece and while he finds an agile performer in Denzel Washington the hour-and-a-half of Flight after the shocking moment can't sustain the power. The "big" works. The intimate drowns.
Washington stars as Whip Whitaker a reckless airline pilot who balances his days flying jumbo jets with picking up women snorting lines of cocaine and drinking himself to sleep. Although drunk for the flight that will change his life forever that's not the reason the plane goes down — in fact it may be the reason he thinks up his savvy landing solution in the first place. Writer John Gatins follows Whitaker into the aftermath madness: an investigation of what really happened during the flight Whitaker's battle to cap his addictions and budding relationships that if nurtured could save his life.
Zemeckis tops his own plane crash in Cast Away with the heart-pounding tailspin sequence (if you've ever been scared of flying before Flight will push into phobia territory). In the few scenes after the literal destruction Washington is able to convey an equal amount of power in the moments of mental destruction. Whitaker is obviously crushed by the events the bottle silently calling for him in every down moment. Flight strives for that level of introspection throughout eventually pairing Washington with equally distraught junkie Nicole (Kelly Reilly). Their relationship is barely fleshed out with the script time and time again resorting to obvious over-the-top depictions of substance abuse (a la Nic Cage's Leaving Las Vegas) and the bickering that follows. Washington's Whitaker hits is lowest point early sitting there until the climax of the film.
Sharing screentime with the intimate tale is the surprisingly comical attempt by the pilot's airline union buddy (Bruce Greenwood) and the company lawyer (Don Cheadle) to get Whitaker into shape. Prepping him for inquisitions looking into evidence from the wreckage and calling upon Whitaker's dealer Harling (John Goodman) to jump start their "hero" when the time is right the two men do everything they can to keep any blame being placed upon Whitaker by the National Transportation Safety Board investigators. The thread doesn't feel relevant to Whitaker's plight and in turn feels like unnecessary baggage that pads the runtime.
Everything in Fight shoots for the skies — and on purpose. The music is constantly swelling the photography glossy and unnatural and rarely do we breach Washington's wild exterior for a sense of what Whitaker's really grappling with. For Zemeckis Flight is still a spectacle film with Washington's ability to emote as the magical special effect. Instead of using it sparingly he once again goes big. Too big.
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David Mitchell's novel Cloud Atlas consists of six stories set in various periods between 1850 and a time far into Earth's post-apocalyptic future. Each segment lives on its own the previous first person account picked up and read by a character in its successor creating connective tissue between each moment in time. The various stories remain intact for Tom Tykwer's (Run Lola Run) Lana Wachowski's and Andy Wachowski's (The Matrix) film adaptation which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. The massive change comes from the interweaving of the book's parts into one three-hour saga — a move that elevates the material and transforms Cloud Atlas in to a work of epic proportions.
Don't be turned off by the runtime — Cloud Atlas moves at lightning pace as it cuts back and forth between its various threads: an American notary sailing the Pacific; a budding musician tasked with transcribing the hummings of an accomplished 1930's composer; a '70s-era investigatory journalist who uncovers a nefarious plot tied to the local nuclear power plant; a book publisher in 2012 who goes on the run from gangsters only to be incarcerated in a nursing home; Sonmi~451 a clone in Neo Seoul who takes on the oppressive government that enslaves her; and a primitive human from the future who teams with one of the few remaining technologically-advanced Earthlings in order to survive. Dense but so was the unfamiliar world of The Matrix. Cloud Atlas has more moving parts than the Wachowskis' seminal sci-fi flick but with additional ambition to boot. Every second is a sight to behold.
The members of the directing trio are known for their visual prowess but Cloud Atlas is a movie about juxtaposition. The art of editing is normally a seamless one — unless someone is really into the craft the cutting of a film is rarely a post-viewing talking point — but Cloud Atlas turns the editor into one of the cast members an obvious player who ties the film together with brilliant cross-cutting and overlapping dialogue. Timothy Cavendish the elderly publisher could be musing on his need to escape and the film will wander to the events of Sonmi~451 or the tortured music apprentice Robert Frobisher also feeling the impulse to run. The details of each world seep into one another but the real joy comes from watching each carefully selected scene fall into place. You never feel lost in Cloud Atlas even when Tykwer and the Wachowskis have infused three action sequences — a gritty car chase in the '70s a kinetic chase through Neo Seoul and a foot race through the forests of future millennia — into one extended set piece. This is a unified film with distinct parts echoing the themes of human interconnectivity.
The biggest treat is watching Cloud Atlas' ensemble tackle the diverse array of characters sprinkled into the stories. No film in recent memory has afforded a cast this type of opportunity yet another form of juxtaposition that wows. Within a few seconds Tom Hanks will go from near-neanderthal to British gangster to wily 19th century doctor. Halle Berry Hugh Grant Jim Sturgess Jim Broadbent Ben Whishaw Hugo Weaving and Susan Sarandon play the same game taking on roles of different sexes races and the like. (Weaving as an evil nurse returning to his Priscilla Queen of the Desert cross-dressing roots is mind-blowing.) The cast's dedication to inhabiting their roles on every level helps us quickly understand the worlds. We know it's Halle Berry behind the fair skinned wife of the lunatic composer but she's never playing Halle Berry. Even when the actors are playing variations on themselves they're glowing with the film's overall epic feel. Jim Broadbent's wickedly funny modern segment a Tykwer creation that packs a particularly German sense of humor is on a smaller scale than the rest of the film but the actor never dials it down. Every story character and scene in Cloud Atlas commits to a style. That diversity keeps the swirling maelstrom of a movie in check.
Cloud Atlas poses big questions without losing track of its human element the characters at the heart of each story. A slower moment or two may have helped the Wachowskis' and Tykwer's film to hit a powerful emotional chord but the finished product still proves mainstream movies can ask questions while laying over explosive action scenes. This year there won't be a bigger movie in terms of scope in terms of ideas and in terms of heart than Cloud Atlas.
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